Sawhney is also past President of CII and is currently Chairman of CII's France Committee which he had set up 12 years ago.

The award was conferred by French Ambassador Dominique Girard at a function.

Under Sawhney's presidentship, Indo-French relations gained momentum and he has been heading an annual delegation of select group of CEOs to France for the past several years.

The delegation had also called on President Chirac at the Elysee Palace before he came to India in 1998.

Sawhney has been a member of the Indo-French Forum, which was set up by President Jacques Chirac and former prime minister I K Gujral, and has led a number of initiatives especially in the areas of water, agriculture business and energy.